Propeller.



G. W. KINGSBURY.

PROPBLLER.

APPLIOATION FILED 00T. 28, 1910. 1,01 3,402. Y Patented Jan. 2, 1912;

2 SHEETS-SHEET lV atta/:41:43.

G. W. KINGSBURY.

PROPBLLBR.

APYLIGATION FILED 00128, 1910.

Patented Jan. 2, 1912.

CoLuMmA PLANoGR/mll co.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

positions.

GEORGE W. KINGSBURY, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

PROPELLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led October 28, 1910.

Patented J an. 2,1912.

Serial No. 589,536.

To all whom 'Lt may concern.:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WV. KINGS- BURY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and vuseful Improvements in Propellers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to propellers for air, land and water craft.

One object is to provide a propeller in which the blades or wings are free to fold to a non-resisting position when the propeller is at rest.

Another object is to provide a propeller in which the blades or wings may be set at any desired working angle, and in which the angle may be varied at any time while the propeller is in operation.

Still another object is to provide a propeller having flexible blades or wings adapted to assume an efficient concavoconvex working form to bank up the air and secure a maximum push or thrust thereon.

|The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an end elevation of a propeller embodying my invention, showing the blades or wings in working position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing in full and dotted lines, respectively, the blades in their working and non-working Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, partially in section, showing the blades adjusted to a diiferent angle. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the hub and associated parts of the propeller. Fig. 5 is a sectional end elevation, with the blades broken away, showing a modified construction of propeller frame. l

It will, of course, be understood that the parts ofthe propeller may be arranged for -either a pushing or a pulling action, and

hence the invention is not limited in this particular.

Refer-ring to the drawings, 1 designates the propeller shaft, upon one end of which is rigidly mounted a hollow 'hub 2, one end of which receives such end of the shaft, the opposite or outer end of the hub having Vsecuredthereto a guidetube 3, arranged in axial alinement with the shaft.` The hub 2 carries the propeller frame, which comprises pairs of rigid arms 4 and resilient arms 5. The arms 4 project from diametrically opposite sides of the hub, while the arms 5 similarly project from diametrically opposite sides of the hub at right angles to said arms 4. The arms 4 and 5 thus eX- tend alternately at angles of 90 degrees apart around the circumference of the hub. The arms 4 are rigid or comparatively so and are relatively longer than the arms 5, which are made of resilient or spring material. As shown, the arms 4 have their free ends 6 curved outwardly or in a direction toward the outer end of the guide tube, to eyes 7 on which latter said ends 6 are connected by brace or stay wire 8 which may be tensioned by turnbuckles 9. Eyes 10 are provided on the arms 4 adjecent their curved ends and through the eyes 10 and eyes 11 on the arms 5 passes a wire 12 adapted to be tensioned by turnbuckles 13. The wire 12, constructed and arranged as described, forms a diamond or kite-shaped frame carried -by the arms 4 and 5, two of the diagonally opposite sides 14 and 15 of which frame form supports for holding and staying the propeller blades or wings 16 and 17 in working position. The blades or wings 16 and 17 are pivotally mounted upon the arms 4 and are substantially triangular in form, each consisting of a suitable flexible frame having a fabric covering, and each having a leading or entering point 18. One of the side edges of each blade is provided with a metallic sleeve 19, of sheet-metal or other suitable material, and said sleeves engage and pivotally mountthe blades on the arms 4. rlhe blades' are normally free to swing without resist-ance on their pivotal supports so that, when the propeller is idle or inactive while the vehicle is gliding or coasting, the pressure of the air or water will force the blades to the non-working positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. In these positions the blades will lie parallel with the shaft in the triangular spaces between the shaft, arms 4 and braces 8, and will thus lie edgewise to the line of travel of the vehicle and oppose no resistance to the motion thereof. When the shaft is set in motion, however, the pressure of the air or water on the blades, as well as the action of centrifugal force, will throw the blades outwardly and into contact with the supports 14 and 15, which limit their outward swinging motion and reinforce them while in action. As shown, thearms 5 are bent outwardly or toward the outer end of tube 3 so as to incline said arms in that direction, whereby the supports 14 and 15 are disposed at an angle to the arms 4 to hold the blades at a corresponding working angle or pitch, as will be readily understood. Though firmly sustained by the supports it can be apparent that the blades will assume a bowed or 4concave-convex form under the air pressure,

` 22, the st-retches of which extend outwardly through theguide tube 3, and thence rearwardly over guide pulleys 23 carried by said tube and are connected at their free ends withthe eyes 11 on the arms 5. Hence, by adjusting the block inwardly from the position shown in Fig. 4 the arms 5 will be bent or flexed outwardly to incline the supports 14 and 15 at an angle to the arms 5, so that they will hold the blades 16 and 17 at the desired working angle or pitch, which angle or pitch may be increased by adjusting` the block 20 inwardly to a greater extent.

Surrounding the shaft 1 and bearing against the inner end of the hub 2 is an annular adjusting head or disk 24 which is interposed between the hub and a collar or sleeve 25 fitted to slide upon and rotate with the shaft. Rods 26 are fitted to slide longitudinally in the hub 2 and connected at their 'outer ends with the block 20; The'inner ends of said rods extend through the opening of the disk 24 and through openings in the collar 25 and are bent at right angles to provide shoulders 26 engaging said collar.

The head 24 is provided with a flange 27 threaded to receive a retaining ring 28 which engages a flanged portion of the collar 25, said flanges being grooved to provide a raceway for bearing balls 29 whereby the head and collar are coupled for sliding motion in unison while thecollar is free to rotate independently of the head with the shaft and hub. The head is formed with threaded openings for the passage of thel outer threaded ends of operating or controlling rods 30, fitted with retaining nuts 31, the inner ends of said rods being in practice connected with a suitable operating device (not shown) on the vessel, whereby inward motion may be transmitted to said controlling rods to slide the block 2O and thus bend or flex the arms 5 to the desired angular position. Openings 32 are provided in the sides of the hub 2 to enable the block 2Ol to be inserted and coupled to the rods 30 and to permit disconnection of said parts when occasion requires.

In practice it will be understood that'the adjustable connection of the rods V30 with the-head 24 adapts the controlling mechanism to be adjusted to set the block 20, and consequently the arms 5 and supports 14 and 1 5 at a desired normal position to dispose the blades at a predetermined normal working angle, and that when the vessel is in motion the angle or pitch of the blades may be increased at any time at the option of the operator by sliding the head 24 inwardly to a greater or lessv extent. The arms 5 return, when released, to their normal position by their own resiliency or spring action. The operator thus has complete cont-rol to vary the propelling action instantaneously at will and as circumstances may require in the operation and control of the vessel.

If desired the adjustable diamond shaped frame may have its respective opposing side portions connected and reinforced by cross braces 33, which may be coupled in series by longitudinal braces 34, thus increasing the strength and durability of saidA frame without impairing its flexibility. The" arrangement of these braces will adapt the flexible blades to form into air containing pockets whereby their working pressure upon the air will be increased.

It will be observed that the surface of each blade is Ytraversed its entire length by a projection formed by the ridge or bulge of the sleeve through which the shaft passes and that at its leading or entering point-of incidence the blade is V-shaped. As a result, in the rapid rotation of the blade a portion of the air will be gathered and caused to liow along the blade to the point of the ridge and curl back against the blade,

by which it will be. condensed or compacted, 1

thus increasing the thrust pressure of the blade to a considerable extent. Any other suitable construction and arrangement of projections for this purpose may be employed.

I claim Y l. A propeller including a shaft, a frame carried by the shaft and having resilient blade supports, flexible blades pivoted to the frame to swing to a non-working position when the propeller is at rest and to a working position against said supports when the A propeller is in action, and means for bending iis said resilient supports to vary the working angle of the blades.

2. A propeller including a shaft, diametrically disposed rigid radial arms extending therefrom, diametrieally disposed resilient arms arranged'at right angles to said radial arms, connections between the arms forming a frame having dlagonally opposite suplas ports, blades pivoted to the rigid arms and adapted to bear against said supports, and means for bending said resilient arms to adjust the supports to dierent angular positions.

3. A propeller including a shaft, diametrically disposed rigid radial arms extending therefrom, diametrically disposed resilient arms arranged at right angles to said radial arms, connections between the arms forming a frame having diagonally opposite supports, braces for staying said rigid arms, blades pivoted to the rigid arms and adapted to bear against said supports, and means for bending said resilient arms to adjust the supports to different angular positions.

4. A propeller including a shaft, a hollovsr hub connected therewith, a guide tube connected with the hub, a frame carried by the hub and having resilient blade supporting portions, blades pivoted to the frame to swing to a working position against said supporting portions, and means extending in part through the hub and tube for adjusting said supporting portions to different angles of inclination.

5. A propeller comprising a shaft, a frame upon the shaft provided with sets of arms, blades pivoted to one set of arms and adapted to bear in working position against the other set of arms, and means for adjusting the latter named arms to support the blades at dierent working angles.

6. A propeller comprising a shaft including a hollow portion, blades pivotally mounted on the shaft, resilient supports for holding the blades in working position, slidable adjusting means partially inclosed within the hollow port-ion of the shaft, connections between said adjusting means and the resilient supports, and means for operating said adjusting means.

7 A propeller comprising a shaft including a hollow portion, blades pivotally mounted on the shaft, resilient supports for holding the blades in working position, a sliding member in the hollow portion of the shaft, a collar connected with said member and itted to slide upon and rotate with the shaft, connections between the sliding member and the resilient supports, and means for sliding said collar to adj-ust said member.

8. A propeller comprising a shaft including a hollow portion, blades pivotally mounted on the shaft, resilient supports for holding the blades in working position, a sliding member in the hollow portion of the shaft, connections between the same and the resilient supports, a collar fitted to slide upon and rotate with the shaft and connected with said member, a non-rotary head forming a bearing for said collar and slidably mounted on the shaft, and means for sliding said head.

9. A propeller comprising a shaft including a hollow portion, blades pivotally mounted on the shaft, resilient supports for holding the blades in working position, a sliding member in the hollow portion of the shaft,A

connections between the same and the resilient supports, a collar fitted to slide upon and rotate with the shaft and connected with saidy member, a non-rotary head forming a bearing for said collar and slidably mounted on the shaft, and operating means adjustably connected with said head.

10. A propeller comprising a shaft including a hollow portion, rigid arms mounted on the shaft, flexible blades pivoted thereto, resilient arms mounted on the shaft, and forming supports for holding the blades in working position, a sliding member in the hollow portion of the shaft, connections between the same and the resilient arms, a sliding head connected therewith, and operating means adjustably connected with said head.

l1. A propeller including a normally flat triangular shaped flexible blade bowable into a concave-convex working form under air pressure, said blade having a curved or rounded bulged portion along its inner edge and a tapering lead portion operating on the bowing of the blade to sweep-the air toward said bulged portion, the latter acting to cause the air to curl back and become condensed against theconcaved surface of the blade, and means for supporting the blade in working position and limiting the flexing movement thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses..

GEORGE W. KINGSBURY.

Witnesses HERMAN BRINKMAN, HENRY HART.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for iive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). C. 

